LAS VEGAS – The Voelker-Bowling trilogy ended 2-1 for Bobby Voelker, as he scored his second win of the series via his second second-round TKO over Roger Bowling in the main event of the Strikeforce Challengers 17 event at the Pearl at The Palms Friday night.
Bobby Voelker vs. Roger Bowling
The Midwestern welterweights were content to stand for most of the first round, with both touching the other up but neither inflicting significant damage. The primary difference in the standup was the half-dozen-plus echoing leg kicks that Bowling landed on Volker’s torso. Late in the round, Bowling scored a takedown, but Voelker rebounded to his feet. After a brief stoppage for an accidental eye poke – reminiscent of the one that ended the pair’s first bout – the two returned with a greater sense of urgency in the form of a lightning-fast barrage of blows from each.
Volker came out more aggressively in the second, forcing Bowling across the ring and into the cage, only to have Bowling do the same against the opposite side of the hexagon. Voelker walked up the cage after another Bowling takedown and the two worked for position against the fence as the crowd chanted “Bob-by!”
As the two broke, Voelker connected with a huge knee followed by a right hand that dropped his opponent. Voelker swarmed in with fists to finish the bout at 2:16 of the second. Voelker’s record is now 24-8; Bowling’s 9-2.
Devin Cole vs Shawn Jordan
Two college wrestlers collided in an active three-round tilt made on three days’ notice. Late replacement Shawn Jordan was game but unable to match his more prepared opponent’s gas tank, and Devin Cole won the unanimous decision to get his 19th MMA win (with 9 losses, 1 draw).
The first round was competitive, with Cole using his reach advantage to paw at Jordan before being bulled into the cage by the larger heavyweight. A trip resulted in the men hitting the ground, with Jordan taking Cole’s back, but he was unable to sink a choke and the two scrambled back to their feet. Jordan caught a leg and punished Cole with sharp shots that landed square as the bell rang.
A standing exchange opened the second, and a knee connected with Jordan, who seemed to wake up from the blow. But Cole shot in and struggled for a takedown. For the rest of the second, Cole pressed Jordan against the cage, and the former LSU football player bent over with one hand on the ground to avoid blows to the head.
Jordan was exhausted by round three, but he gamely lumbered forward for several minutes of standing exchanges. Both men narrowly missed with powerful uppercuts, but back at the cage, Cole secured another takedown that ended with him in half-guard. Dominant elbows and hammerfists in the closing minute secured his UD win over Jordan, whose record now stands at 11-2. Scores for Cole were 30-27 twice and 29-28.
Ovince St. Preux vs. Joe Cason
Joe Cason’s 8-0 undefeated streak came to an end at the hands of Ovince St. Preux, who improved his record to 11-4 – and 4-0 in Strikeforce – with a first-round submission via strikes over the Midwestern prospect. 1:12 round 1
The light heavyweights both eyed one another for the first minute, with Cason briefly rocking St. Preux. St. Preux soon returned with a knee, pouncing on a wobbled Cason who turtled under the blows. Judges halted the light heavyweight bout at 1:12 of round 1.
Sarah Kaufman vs. Liz Carmouche
The second-ever women’s MMA bout showed that females can stand as bang as ground specialist Liz Carmouche was forced to remain on her feet by veteran Sarah Kaufman, who took the bout by unanimous decision.
Round one quickly went to the cage with Marine veteran Carmouche firing knees and footstomps. A trip allowed Kaufman to escape, and a brief standing exchange ended with the bantamweights back on the cage until they were separated by the ref.
Kaufman opened up more in the second, sticking to the center of the cage and staving off all of the increasingly-bloodied Carmouche’s takedown attempts. Endless one-two combinations were punctuated with low kicks until, with two minutes left, the fighters clinched again. With 30 seconds left, Carmouche shot in but Kaufman easily sprawled and ended the round on top.
Both women swung wildly to open the third, and Kaufman muscled her way past a single-leg takedown. Back against the fence, Kaufman returned the foot stomps from earlier in the bout, tripped her opponent then returned to her feet so the bout could continue in the center of the cage. Another takedown attempt was rebuffed by Kaufman, who hammerfisted Carmouche for her trouble.
Judges scored the bout 30-27 for former Strikeforce champ Kaufman, who is now 14-1; Carmouche left the cage 6-2.
Adlan Amagov vs. Ron Stallings
Two fighters who sound like they’re out of central casting – Russian Adlan Amagov is an unorthodox striker who trains with Fedor; Ron Stallings watched UFCs growing up and works as a church musician – kicked off the televised main card. But inside the cage it was classic MMA, with surprises in every round from both men and Amagav decisioning the bout.
The two stood, light on their feet and highly aware of each other’s danger, trading occasional low kicks and Amagov firing off high kicks. Amagov soon began showing off the highlight- reel arsenal of combinations and kicks that brought him to the big stage. Whipping body kicks, high kicks and spinning back kicks came fast and furious, with some scoring points by connecting and the rest winning over the crowd.
Stallings started out more aggressively with kicks in the second round, but most were answered by whipping kicks from Amagov. Stallings defended by pressing Amagov against the cage and throwing knees. Clinched a second time against the cage, Amagov pulled off an inside judo trip that sent both men spiraling twice.
Fists flew again to start of the second, with Stallings doing betterwith his knees. He was able to take Amagov down and smothered him with his body while working on armbar attempts that Amagov evaded. Back on their feet, both men were neutralized against the fence, with Amagov – who had never before fought in a cage – receiving multiple warnings for holding the fence.
The two were separated with a minute and a half left and came out with more desperation, ducking and winging wild punches that worked the crowd into a frenzy. The split decision went to Amagav, 29-28 twice and 28-29.
Amagov rose to 8-1-1 with the debut, Stallings is now 9-4, 1 NC
Amagov 7-1-1 Stallings 9-3, 1 NC
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